Subject motion and associated artifacts limit the applicability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the achievable quality of the images acquired, See Zaitsev et al., Magnetic resonance imaging of freely moving objects: prospective real-time motion correction using an external optical motion tracking system, NeuroImage 31(3), 1038-1050 (2006). Post-processing techniques have been developed to suppress MRI artifact arising from object planar rigid motion, See for example Zoroofi et al., IEEE Transaction on Medical Imaging, 15(6), 768-784 (1996). More over, a few patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,891 disclose computerized tomography (CT) scanners & functional MRI (fMRI) imaging apparatus with means for compensation object motion.
As presented by Ranieri (2011), during fMRI acquisition, light restraints (i.e. foam wedges, vacuum pillows, straps, etc.) are used to help limit head motion. These restraints are most effective in restricting motion in the medial-lateral direction, and less effective for motion in orthogonal directions. With the desire to keep patient discomfort and stress at a minimum, head restraint is only lightly used and is not an extremely effective technique for preventing motion in fMRI, See Ranieri, S. M., “Development of Simulator Training to Reduce Head Motion Artifact in fMRI”, Master's Thesis in Health Science, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 2011.
Hence, MRI devices targeted for avoiding motion artifacts and specialized in producing an image sequence with reduced object-movement affect, and especially such as MRI systems adapted to image uncontrollably movable objects, such as neonates, premature babies and laboratory animals; and especially in those special cases were restrain is to be avoided, is still a long felt and unmet need.